


Cold Ears

by Lyss2011



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Birthday Presents, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, can i call it tooth rotting fluff if arthur's kinda a dick?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-16
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-08-24 09:11:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16637078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyss2011/pseuds/Lyss2011
Summary: Arthur's birthday present for Merlin is...unexpected.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> *pretends this has been brit-picked by changing color to colour*

“Well, go on, open it!”

Merlin grinned at his boyfriend and tore open the wrapping. He could see Arthur hiding a wince as all his precise wrapping was destroyed and it made his grin wider. Arthur wouldn’t bother trying to hide the wince if he didn’t care for Merlin. Arthur grew up peeling back the decorative paper slowly to show respect to the gift-giver, and had had a major shock when he gave Merlin his Christmas present last year. 

He looked down at the gift and his grin faded to an expression of confusion and horror. It was a hat. A pink and mint green checkered _winter_ hat. 

Merlin’s birthday was in the middle of _July._

From everything he knew of Arthur, he expected something better than this – this monstrosity of a hat. Seriously. There were tassels. As in, multiple, multicoloured tassels. Merlin would never have picked it out in a million years.

Arthur must have seen the confusion on his face because he explained, “Because your ears get cold in the winter, and you never have a hat –”

“My ears never get cold!”

“Yes they do!”

“How do you know, you’re not me!” 

“I’ve _felt_ them before, you idiot!”

“What!? When did you touch my ears?”

“Merlin, we’ve had sex,” Arthur said, exasperated. 

Merlin stared at him, not comprehending.

“Just—do you like the present or not?”

“Um it’s very...” he looked up at Arthur, searching for the best words to appease him, and realized that Arthur was _laughing_ at him. 

His awful boyfriend pulled a second gift from under the low coffee table and handed it to Merlin. “You didn’t seriously think your present was just going to be a hat, did you Merlin?”

“Oh thank goodness,” he gushed, already tearing it open. “It’s just that I’m not sure these colors will look well on me, I’m already so pale— Oi you _prat_!” 

The second gift was a matching scarf and the satisfaction of chasing his boyfriend around until they ended up in bed much too early to do any sleeping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I overheard a conversation between a couple walking down the street in front of me one night (in the SUMMER) having pretty much that exact conversation so I had to (eventually) write about it.


	2. Chapter 2

Four and a half months later...

-

“ _Mer_ lin, where’s your hat?” Arthur greeted him. 

“What hat?”

“The hat I gave you for your birthday. It’s snowing out, you should be wearing it.”

“Oh,” Merlin said. “That hat. I told you I was going to burn it as soon as you left.”

“And I told you I had more.”

“Well I burnt it anyway.”

“You did not. Look me in the eye and tell me again.”

“I…didn’t burn it,” he said. Arthur gave him a triumphant smile that soured when Merlin continued, “but I did donate it a few weeks back.”

“You what!?” 

“There was that winter donation thing at work so I went through all the winter stuff I have and said to myself, Arthur has several more of these just sitting around, surely I can donate _one_ to the needy…”

“I…you’re right, Merlin.”

“Of course I am,” he said breezily, pecking cold lips against Arthur’s. 

“But so am I.” Arthur reached up and grabbed one of Merlin’s ears with a sudden grin. “Your ears _do_ get cold. Luckily, your amazing boyfriend came prepared.”

"Have you been waiting to do that since my birthday? And why are you making me wear a hat when you're not, you hypocrite!" Merlin demanded as Arthur stuffed the horrid pink-and-mint-checkered hat over his ears. Admittedly, the hat was warm from Arthur's body heat, and Merlin could smell his expensive cologne, which went a long way to making him forget what the hat looked like. 

"Oh don't worry, Merlin. I have my own!" 

Merlin watched in vague horror as his boyfriend cheerfully pulled out an identical hat and put it on before taking Merlin's hand. "Now we match!"

"You're horrible."

"You love me." 

"God help me, I do."

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, kudos, and criticism always welcome! <3


End file.
